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The biggest threat to a hotelโs P&L isnโt the market. It is the ego war between the property and the corporate office
Independent hotels run on a short, all-inclusive chain of command. But in hotel groups, strategy sits at the top and execution fights in the trenches. Mega-brands can often afford to leave properties to fend for themselves, surviving solely on the gravity of their loyalty and distribution engines. But in mid-sized and regional groups, the operation demands intense integration, brand alignment, and daily hustle. Here are 5 critical friction points where this relationship breaksโand what it actually costs the owner: โ๏ธ 1. Local Hustle vs. Brand Dilution. Property teams are desperate for short-term revenue hits; corporate protects the long-term identity. When a GM bypasses standards for a quick cash grab, they…
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The 2027 macro-storm is already here. Here is why 80% of hotels will react completely wrong
We are walking into a perfect storm next year. Just look at the geopolitical and macroeconomic headwinds piling up on the boardroom table: ๐ Super El Niรฑo driving aggressive food inflation. ๐ข๏ธ The unresolved Iran conflict piling pressure on fuel costs and crushing discretionary spend. ๐๏ธ US political gridlock exporting deeper global economic uncertainty. ๐ค AI chaos fundamentally disrupting distribution and manning models. ๐ Stagnant global economies with very few safe havens. But these headwinds are not your biggest threat. Your reaction is. Most commercial teams will fail to capitalise on this landscape because they are paralyzed by “business as usual.” They will apply reactive, legacy playbooks to a fundamentally…
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Stop treating AI like a hospitality expert (it’s just auto-complete on steroids)
There is a lot of fear and excitement in our industry right now. Commercial and marketing teams are trying to figure out if AI will elevate their careers or make them irrelevant, while GMs are watching the output and wondering what is actually real. Over the weekend, I spent hours pressure-testing these generative engines against my own commercial workflows to see where the real value lies. My biggest epiphany? We are giving the machine way too much credit. Whether you are building a campaign or briefing your team in a morning meeting, here are three unvarnished truths about the tools we are using: ๐๐ผ It is just auto-complete on steroids:…
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The AI Trap: Why your hotel’s marketing is starting to look exactly like your competitors?
It took us years to realise that just because something is printed doesn’t make it a fact. Today, we are making a similar mistake: assuming that whatever AI spits out is automatically “best practice.” I am seeing more and more hotel social media posts that are clearly AI-generated. They follow a mathematically perfect, trending aesthetic, but completely ignore the hotel’s actual identity. For a marketer or a GM, nothing is more disheartening than watching your unique property get lost in a sea of mass-produced, generic tedium. If you are deploying AI, here are five ways to ensure your brand actually stands out: ๐๐ผ 1. Be the human in the loop:…
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Mastering Hotel Marketing: A New GM’s Guide to Commercial Success
Stepping into a GM or marketing/commercial leadership role? It can be daunting to get started. What is important is to get the basics right.ย Here’s your roadmap to navigating the complex world of hospitality marketing and driving revenue growth. Talent: Assemble Your Marketing A-Team ๐ฅย Assess current team structure and identify skill gaps Consider partnering with specialized agencies for training and niche expertiseย Top Tip: Be bold: Invest in experienced, albeit pricier, talent for key rolesย Content: Craft a Destination-Driven Narrative ๐ธย Audit existing content across all channels Collaborate with local attractions and influencers to amplify your narrativeย Top Tip: Develop a story that intertwines your property with the destination’s…
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Recipe for Disaster? Why Standardising Marketing Can Spoil Your Hotel’s Success
We all know the power of a well-oiled hotel operation. Standardised procedures ensure spotless rooms, efficient check-in, and that perfect breakfast โ the hallmarks of a reliable guest experience. It’s the magic formula behind that delicious chocolate chip cookie you crave on every stay. But hold on a minute before you try to bottle that operational magic and apply it to your marketing. The world of hotel marketing is a vibrant ecosystem that thrives on constant adaptation. Here, the marketing team morphs like a chameleon, crafting dynamic social media campaigns, irresistible seasonal packages, and targeted adverts that resonate with specific demographics. The plot twist? Success demands both consistency and change.…
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Blind Spots! Top Hotel Marketing Mistakes You Might Be Making
Chatting with GMs, revenue managers, and marketing folks across the industry, I’ve noticed some common marketing blunders hotels keep making. Let’s dive in and see if any of these ring a bell for you! ๐ญ. ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ค Not sure who your ideal guest is? This is a big one! Think families, business travelers, or maybe adventure seekers? Knowing this will help you target your marketing with laser focus. ๐ฎ. ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ข๏ธ Marketing shouldn’t be an island. It needs to work hand-in-hand with your overall distribution, revenue management and other strategies. Are you on the same page?…
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The Five Levels Hotels Need to Climb to Master CRM!
Did you know only 26% of hotels globally use a CRM? That’s a huge missed opportunity! CRM isn’t just for big brands; it’s a powerful tool for independent hotels and smaller chains to boost revenue and guest satisfaction. Imagine: ๐๐ป Email marketing that pays for itself (ROI of 20-50 or more) ๐๐ป Increased revenue from upselling, cross-selling, and repeat business ๐๐ป Guests feeling truly valued with personalised experiences Here’s your step-by-step starter guide to mastering CRM: Level 1: Start Simple โก๏ธ Collect guest emails from bookings and check-in. โก๏ธ Send targeted email offers and promotions. (permission based) Level 2: Personalise Your Approach โก๏ธ Use PMS to gather guest preferences (room…
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What revenue managers (often) get wrong about hotel marketing?
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป’๐ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ-๐๐ผ-๐ฒ๐๐ฒ? Through years dealing with many, I’ve come across a few misconceptions. Let’s break them down! ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐! ๏ธโ๐ It used to be that we struggled to measure the impact of marketing efforts. Now, with the right tools, you can see exactly how marketing campaigns influence bookings and revenue. ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ! ๐ข Public Relations are great for brand awareness, but marketing goes beyond press releases. It’s about creating compelling content, targeted ads, and building a strong online presence to attract the right guests. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐! ๐ฏ Sure,…
- Hospitality Industry, Hotel Marketing, Hotel Technology, Productivty and Time Management, Uncategorized
War and Hospitality: Why Great Hotels Share Similarities (But Struggle in Unique Ways)
Leo Tolstoyan wrote, “All happy families are alike, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” Well, the same goes for hotels. The successful ones all seem to nail a similar set of things: ๐ข Dream Team: Strong leadership, a collaborative crew, and everyone’s on the same page. ๐ข Marketing Magic: Knowing who you’re trying to reach and using the right channels to get there. ๐ข Distribution Dynasty: Striking a balance between getting your name out there and keeping prices fair. ๐ข Guest Gems: A focus on a diverse, sustainable guest mix and making sure every stay is stellar. ๐ข Retention Revolution: Building loyalty programs and keeping the…
